


Blood on the Snow

by Idk_hi_iguess



Category: The Invisible Library - Genevieve Cogman
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Injury, Book: The Mortal Word, Dragons, Emotional Manipulation, Heavy Angst, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Its like 2000 words of ao ji brutally murdering his servant, M/M, POV Third Person Limited, Snow, Stabbing, This Isn't Going To Be Happy, Toxic Relationship, i sat down and wrote this in 7 hours then posted it, in which i hate Ao Ji but accidentally make him actually have emotions (it was a mistake), it hurt to write, no one is allowed nice things, or nice, serious tw for abusive relationships, there is... minimal comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:29:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28658757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Idk_hi_iguess/pseuds/Idk_hi_iguess
Summary: “It will just be us tonight.” Their eyes met and the significance of the gaze settled realisation into his gut like a block of ice. The events of the evening laid before him, and he knew he would not see the sunrise.He was glad, he told himself. Glad he could be of this final service to his King, this was an honour.-Ren Shun's final hours before his murder that sparked the events of The Mortal Word, from his POV
Relationships: Ao Ji/Ren Shun
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	Blood on the Snow

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in 7 hours with the incredible assistance of my girlfriend who listened to me talk for all of that time and provided most of the ideas. We basically co wrote this and without her I would have run out of motivation before it had a plot. I hope you enjoy.  
> Rated mature for description of injury and death, as well as the *incredibly* abusive relationship between Ao Ji and Ren Shun.

“Your Majesty, you requested to see me?” He said by way of greeting as he bowed  deeply and entered the King’s suite.  Ao Ji’s form seemed to fill the entire room, despite the fact he remained human, as he stood, silhouetted against the fireplace . He acted as a shield, so none of the warmth of the flames spread through the room. Instead, the air was colder than the blizzard that raged outside. He suppressed a slight shiver. 

After a moment of the two dragons stood in a silence so deep the air seemed heavy, the king turned and walked towards him . “My love, I would like you to take a walk with me.” 

He wanted nothing more than to curl into his bed, which must be being warmed by a bedpan as they spoke, and sleep the stress of the peace talks off . But how could he  possibly deny his king? 

“Of course, my lord.” 

“It will  just be us tonight.” Their eyes met and the significance of the gaze settled realisation into his gut like a block of ice. The events of the evening laid before him, and he knew he would not see the sunrise. 

He was  glad, he told himself.  Glad  he could be of this final service to his King, this was an  honour .  But still, “Your Majesty, do you not think it wise to take some security, you are of utmost importance to the peace talks and I may not be able to defend you,” 

“Are you questioning me?” It was not a question.

“Of course, you are right, Your Majesty, the night air will be less stifling, with  just the two of us.”

He couldn’t imagine that the security would even be much help. Why would they stop Ao Ji from doing what was inevitable? 

The King walked closer, taking his hands in his marble-cold fingers.  If Ren Shun wasn’t  starkly aware of what awaited him, he would say the way his King gazed at him was almost tender, his thumb drawing circles on his knuckles .  Ao Ji leant up in a way that would have once been endearing (and  really still was, despite his grief) and pressed a frigid kiss to the corner of his mouth . He returned the kiss  lightly . 

A whisper tickled his ear “fetch my cloak, My love.” He leant back and dismissed him. “Meet me by the back entrance.” 

Nearly stumbling from the room, he  narrowly avoided crashing  directly into a porter, who was presumably making his way to bed .  All of the gas lights  were dimmed ,  just low enough so that he had to strain his eyes, but he still found Ao Ji’s  impossibly black cloak and tucked it over his arm .  The King had not ordered that he get his own cloak, so left it hanging in the cloakroom and headed towards the back entrance . He passed through corridors with ease, not meeting a soul until-

“Brother?” Li Ming called from the door of his ground floor rooms. 

“Do you  require anything? I am quite busy,” He adjusted the cloak so it looked at if he was carrying his own, and fixed his gaze upon him. 

“I want,” He paused and stepped out into the corridor, where he  was bathed in light, and also  conveniently blocking any immediate escape . “I want to offer my help. With anything. Whatever he’s got you doing, you don’t have to do it alone.” There was a determined emotion on his brother’s face that he had never seen there before. 

“Here I was, thinking you disapproved of my methods? And yet you are clamouring to help.” He  nearly wanted to accept the help, but he had vowed to his King. And no amount of fear or grief was going to get him to take back that loyalty. 

“I’m not clamour-” He started, frustration rising in his voice, before he took a breath, “Fine.  Just tell where you’re going? “

“So you can follow me?” It came out more accusatory than he intended. 

“No. No! Is it too much to believe that I might simply be concerned for you?” 

“Yes.”

Li Ming recoiled, his tall frame seeming to diminish. 

“Please, brother. We have already had this conversation and it didn’t end well. Your loyalty to him is unwavering but misplaced and often downright foolish.”

“Don’t insult him. Take it back.” 

He paused and took a steadying breath, “Look, I’m sorry. Your loyalty is admirable, despite my personal thoughts on it. But please be careful.”

“I’m going on a walk.” He muttered. 

“What?” 

“You asked me where I’m going. I’m going on a walk.”

Li Ming looked as if he  certainly wanted to press further, but Ren Shun crossed his arms and he dropped it. 

“Have a good night, brother,” He kissed him on the cheek before returning to his rooms. As Ren Shun walked away, he heard the door shut. He  momentarily stopped walking and looked back at where light spilled from under Li Ming’s door. Light that seemed so inviting compared to the cruel blizzard awaiting him. But he was being foolish and disloyal. He didn't need help. He didn't want help. 

He picked up the pace for the  remainder of the journey, finding himself arriving at the back door  just as Ao Ji arrived . “Your majesty,” He bowed and proffered the cloak. Ao Ji turned and he draped it over his shoulders. When they were facing each other again, he fastened it and they stepped into the night.  Most of the nightlife, particularly in this upper-class part of Paris,  was finished , and they were alone on the snow-covered streets . Ao Ji walked a few paces ahead of him, walking with purpose through the wide street. The storm had cleared and for  just a moment and the incredible stillness of the night air took his breath away.  The constellations were the only things that watched them, every window was dark and the streetlamps  were dimmed . Very few working people resided around here, so the usual bustle of the very early morning was absent. 

The King stopped and turned to him. “Walk along beside me, my beloved,” He held out his hand and he closed the distance to hold it. “There’s a bridge I wish to show you. It  was constructed only a few years ago, and gives a view of the water  I think you will appreciate.”

“As you wish Your Majesty. I look forward to it.”

Ao Ji’s fingers were a vice-like grip and for a moment he thought the man might actually be turning to stone. There was no romance in the pressure he exerted on his hand. 

Ren Shun did not fear death.  Dragons were not taught afterlives or judgement days, and he did not worry about any omniscient being weighing his soul or damning him to hell . But the realisation that it was  truly all ending tasted like bile in his mouth.  He would never again feel the sweet intoxication of the burning cold as Ao Ji wraps him in his arms and syphons off chaos so thick in this throat he chokes and he will never  be thrown against a bookshelf so hard blood draws from the back of his head as his king covers him in possessive kisses . And in this final act,  maybe he will remember him  fondly for all the success he hopes follows his sacrifice. 

He  was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of the river. They would be getting close.  Despite the fact that they were now in a much more populated area, and by this time there would be people returning from drunken revelry, or walking all across time to pick up fish from ports or set up a stall at a market, the streets are silent and deserted as death, and for a moment he believed that they may be the only two in the world . 

The bridge loomed in his vision, and Ao Ji squeezed his hand.  They trudged further on, and although Ao Ji had no problem walking  gracefully through the powdery snow, the hem of his cloak clean and dry; Ren Shun was tiring his trousers soaked through and feet numb .  His waistcoat and shirt did nothing to protect from the cold and he thought he would not make it to the bridge, but curl into the snow to die then and there . “Come on my love, not long now,” Ao Ji’s breath was warm in his ear and he leant into the man, seeking comfort. Ao Ji allowed him to wrap his arm around him, and they walked together to the centre of the bridge. 

The sparking river made him gasp, the edges of it frozen over in the extreme chill, but a vein of water ran through the centre . He pushed from snow off the wide stone balustrade and leant there, not even bothered by the cold of it.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Ao Ji said,  softly , from beside him. 

He turned and smiled “Yeah, it is.” 

“See how the stars reflect on the water. This is what I wanted you to see.” Ao Ji leant beside him and rested his head on his shoulder. 

Feeling freer than he had in months, he focused on a point about one hundred meters from where they were standing and reached to his element . He could feel the energy of the water pulsating below him and cause a small wave to come from the point he  was focused on. This disruption in the water shattered the reflection of the stars and he laughed.  Feeling daring, he chose another spot and caused the water there to raise high up and come crashing down with a splash . Some of the ice that had been nearby cracked and he felt Ao Ji smiling from where he rested. 

“Thank you for taking me here, my lord,” He turned and kissed the top of Ao Ji’s head, still  absently playing with the water. Nerves, grief and regret still sat like a dead weight in his gut, but he knew they would be gone soon. His death would have a purpose and that was all he could ask for. 

Ao Ji pushed him around and pulled them as close together as they could get whilst still being two different people . He rested their foreheads together.  Ren Shun sensed the water around them go  impossibly still, despite the light breeze that swept down the river . Ao Ji leant forward to pressed their lips together in a final embrace, and he leant into it. This kiss was as passionate as many before it, but there was a finality in it, and they both seemed to be trying to savour it. 

He didn’t realise what had happened until a thick liquid was trickling down his back in a way that sent shivers up his spine . The pain was dull, removed from him as if it was happening to someone else.

The usual rhythms of the kiss stilled as a fog settled over his brain, and a strong metallic taste filled his mouth. He looked, horrified to where blood was spilling from his mouth and staining the snow crimson.  For a moment, scales appeared, flashing across his skin in a desperate attempt to free himself from this woundable human form, escape into the night and heal himself in some far off forest . But his gaze rested on Ao Ji, who’s royal mask of stern anger slipped to reveal the panicked visage of a helpless lover. He had to do this, for him. And because even through the fog, he shuddered to think what the King would do if he disobeyed now. 

He wasn’t sure when he became conscious of the pain, but it grew , screaming nerves piling on top of each other. And he started to fall, legs giving up on him. Ao Ji caught him, holding him in a gentle embrace. As he fell, he felt the river erupt behind him, his connection to the water raising it. It held there, stationary, as he screamed.

He recollected himself, he tried to breathe.  “ ‘m lord,” He was conscious of saying, his voice slurring through the blood that seemed to be  endlessly pouring from his mouth, filling his nose and blocking his airways . 

“My love, I’m sorry,” he whispered, horrified, and Ren Shun forced his eyes to focus on Ao Ji’s face above him. “Thank you, thank you.”  Tears were slipping from his eyes, but when Ren Shun reached up to wipe them away, his shaking hand touched ice clinging to his lover’s face . 

He became aware that he was lying, the snow an unpleasant pillow that chilled him further. He was so cold, why was he so cold? “My lord, I’m so cold. Please,” the word  was taken over by a strangled cry as white-hot pain flashed down his spine. “Please make it stop,” 

“I’m sorry, it’s ok, it will all be over soon.” 

He shot his hand up to where Ao Ji’s hand was gripping his shoulder and held onto it with every ounce of strength he had left. Lucidity was leaving him, but he fought to hold Ao Ji’s gaze, “Please make it stop,” He begged, “My Lord, please, end it, let it stop,”

Ao Ji leaned down and pressed their foreheads together, “Shush, shush, it will stop soon.” He  gently hushed him, like one might do a screaming child to get it to sleep. 

He started to choke, the blood in his airway pressing all sides of his mouth and spilling from his nose. There was no hope of trying to refocus his vision. This was it. 

A distant voice whispered a last, broken, “thank you” and the last thing he felt was relief that spread through his body like warmth, before he gave up . 

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed (perhaps, but it is very sad so maybe not?)  
> Perhaps leave a comment because I'm an attention whore?  
> Also I might write some more but not right now I'm so tired.


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